For reasons I never fully understood, my family traditionally ate spaghetti on Christmas Eve. The adults claimed it was an easy clean-up, but with 8 cousins all within 10 years of each other and possessing varying levels of pasta maturity and acumen, I still can’t grasp how this could be true. As a parent today, the kitchen-and-clothes disaster that is any tomato sauce-based meal I’m foolish enough to serve the twins leaves me crying and self-loathing.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees and leave the cream cheese on the kitchen counter to soften. Heat spaghetti sauce in a large pot, stirring in 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Meanwhile brown venison in a skillet and drain. Season with Garlic Salt – a dusting, don’t hit it too hard – and put ground venison in sauce and simmer for 30 – 45 minutes. I don’t know if the simmering is really necessary, but I feel like more of a chef when I do that.

Boil the pasta according to the directions on the box. After draining, dump it in a bowl and stir in the cream cheese and Good Seasons until the cheese has melted and mixed well with the noodles.

Take some Pam or other non-stick spray and lightly grease a 9×13 pan. Lightly smear spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the pan, add pasta, and then top with the remaining sauce.

From here depends on individual tastes. I sprinkle a fair amount of red pepper flakes on the top for heat, cover with the remaining Parmesan – or use more if not satisfied – and layer shredded mozzarella over that to indulge my cheese lust.

Cover and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until the Mozzarella is bubbling and browning.

So there you go – a poached recipe that’s a tasty dish for my non-poached deer. I’ll see if my family wants me to cook it for Christmas Eve this year.

About This Blog

Ian Nance is a lifelong resident of Central Florida with a passion for hunting and just about anything related. Associate Member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. Check back weekly for hunting stories, news, tips, and wild game recipes. Feel free to leave comments or e-mail topics you would like to see addressed here. Contact at inance880@aol.com or follow on Twitter @good_hunt